CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA
                 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA



 Agenda Date:         March 20, 2023

 Action Required:     No Council Action Required

 Presenter:           Lauren Hildebrand, Director of Utilities

 Staff Contacts:      Lauren Hildebrand, Director of Utilities

 Title:               Decarbonizaton Study Kickoff


Background
The City of Charlottesville's natural gas utility is one of three municipally owned gas utilities in the
Commonwealth of Virginia. The City of Charlottesville has provided reliable natural gas to the
residents and businesses of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, including the University of
Virginia, for over 150 years. Currently, the City operates and maintains a natural gas distribution
system comprised of 340 miles of natural gas main lines and serves over 21,500 customers.

The City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County and other local municipalities have made commitments
to community-wide greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. On July 1, 2019, City Council
adopted the goal of a 45% reduction in community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and a
goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. Both of these reduction measures will be based on the 2011
inventory year. Albemarle County has made the same level of emissions reduction commitments,
measured from its 2008 inventory year.

As a result of the City of Charlottesville owning, operating and maintaining a natural gas utility, the
utility’s role and responsibilities regarding community-wide greenhouse gas reductions must be
thoroughly evaluated. The Department of Utilities has solicited the expertise of an outside consulting
firm in order to responsibly and accurately determine how the gas utility can be a part of the solution
in achieving and aligning itself with the community’s greenhouse gas reduction goals.

Discussion
The Study will determine the legality, under federal, state and local laws, of potentially discontinuing
the natural gas system, and/or discontinuing future residential, commercial, industrial connections to
the gas system. If one or both of these scenarios are determined to be legal, the impact to existing
and future customers and the City of Charlottesville will be evaluated. The Study will also model
various scenarios in which our gas utility can achieve or exceed the greenhouse gas emissions
reduction goals. The modeling will evaluate cost impacts and resiliency implications to customers by
looking at technology and energy efficiency improvements in order to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions In addition, the study will evaluate and make recommendations to improve the
Charlottesville Gas Energy Efficiency Program and the operations and maintenance of the natural
gas system. The City anticipates the project to take approximately one year to complete.
Alignment with City Council's Vision and Strategic Plan
This Project contributes to Goal 3 of the Strategic Plan: A Beautiful and Sustainable Natural and Built
Environment.

Community Engagement
The Department of Utilities and the consultant will gather input from stakeholders in the community
and update Council and the community on the results of the study.

Budgetary Impact
The Study will be paid from natural gas enterprise operating funds.

Recommendation
There are no staff recommendations and the presentation is intended to update City Council on the
Study.

Alternatives

Attachments
1.   BV Presentation 3-20-23